Street Artists That Make Our World a More Exciting Place

It’s safe to say that the art of graffiti, the once loathed medium that was reserved uniquely to the outlaws and high-art mavericks (see: Basquiat), has changed pretty much entirely. With no need to sneak around trash cans and lurk in fog-filled passageways (well – mostly), most graffeteros these days are highly regarded contemporary artists, while the occasional fling with the other side of the law has turned into a charming postmodern adrenaline hunt.

CanvasDiscount.com invites you to a street art gallery where paintings can emerge on a gritty channel side, and every street corner can be instantly changed into a genuine exhibit space!

Solidarity

SourceVulpes Vulpes stands for red fox in Latin. The artist conceived this illegal piece with the help of the local residents who, apparently, lied about the artist’s whereabouts. A rather simple, biting (no pun intended) representation of the man’s complex political views, it depicts a pack of foxes either devouring a single piece in equal parts or uniting their noses in the same manner musketeers used to cross their rapiers. Vulpes Vulpes is a self-confessed anarchist with unconditional love for foxes. An artist who likes to linger on the edge of the law, Vulpes is producing both legally commissioned artworks and something we’d like to call urban Easter eggs. The latter is usually the artist’s comment on the sociopolitical state of affairs. This particular piece is Vulpes’ take on the issues of economic recession.

What Goes in Must Come Out

sourceWhen two street artists come together for a collaborative piece, the results, predictably so, are usually really awesome. This “wall art” jumps on the trend and, just like so many other graffiti outlets these days, is playing around with the concept of dimensionality. Created as a part of the SCOPE Art Show (an annual fair taking place in New York, Miami, and Basel), its authorship is shared between Know Hope and Aakash Nihalani. As you can clearly see, both complement each other’s artistry incredibly well, creating a piece that stuns with its simplicity and the clever use of what little additional details there can be.

Pratt Style

sourceNow, Pratt Institute is known for its progressive approach towards the arts and humanities, yet hardly anyone would think of its graduates as the most likely street art prodigies, dodging police in the maze of the urban jungle during the nights and scribbling on paper in the wee hours of the morning. However, with the likes of Leon Reid IV and Cake, it’s safe to say that the prestigious institution has indeed produced some of the most renowned contemporary street artists working today. This piece, however, is created by Willow. Using academic knowledge to conjure surrealist imagery on the local walls? Why not?

The Reflection

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Borondo’s ability to pick seemingly random places that only add to the effect once the artwork is finished is remarkable on its own merit. If you’re not familiar with Dali’s painting or have no clue as to what the myth’s actually about, the long story short version goes as follows. A handsome thespian hunter that went by the name of Narcissus had a thing for his own reflection. Unable to grasp its beauty, Narcissus gave in and pretty much succumbed to his death due to his own prettiness. Borondo’s choice of location all of a sudden makes that much more sense…. Just imagine encountering this with no pretext!

Graphic Detail

sourceNo, this wall is by no means graphic in the Internet sense of the word. Instead, it’s a genuine, large-scale monochromatic outing by the Italian artist known as 2501 (by now, it’s clear that street artists pick their public names with an ingenuity that vastly surpasses their pop music counterparts). Exploiting both abandoned slums somewhere in the outskirts and globally revered art galleries, 2501 twists and bends his lines to conjure compelling sceneries that are juxtaposed with urban and suburban environments to a surprisingly marvelous effect. Peculiarly, it really seems that the geography affects the signature. Just take a look at this and the last entry!

It may come to you as a surprise, but when it comes down to distinct, decades-perfected street art cultures, Bogotá takes the cake as a place where this particular medium has flourished like no other. Here, they’re called “Graffeteros,” and instead of being viewed as some sort of savages with illegal habits, they’re actually really embraced by the locals who encourage the group to embellish the facades of their houses and window shutters. Bastardilla, the author of the respective piece, is said to be a member of the Bogotá’s graffiti culture’s dream team – Animal Power Crew. We may never know, but her solo output is equally fascinating and distinctively Southern American in its richness and tribal undertones.

And, here’s yet another talent in the long line of Italian graffiti artists. With that said, Moneyless (Teo Pirisi) might as well be the most interesting and off-beat character of them all. Utilising the geometrical specifics of the space around him, Moneyless uses fishing line and hooks to create something that’s totally outside the threshold of the traditional street art with simple, geometric formations that present the Platonic viewpoint of geometry being the core attribute of nature. Very minimalistic with an aura of mystery that characterizes all good fine art creations, Moneyless shows us what exactly happens when austerity is used the right way!

This man needs no introduction. Banksy is pretty much the superstar of street art culture and probably the most well-known graffiti practitioner working today. Mostly appearing out of the blue only to disappear under equally mysterious conditions, Banksy adorns the walls of his native Britain (though not limited to) with painfully spot-on statements dwelling upon pop culture phenomena and national/international sociopolitical affairs. Excellently executed both form and content-wise, Banksy playfully challenges law enforcement and civilians to reflect on the issues we would usually prefer to push aside.

Massive, explosively colorful, and funny, the art of Kashnik is instantly recognizable and cannot be mistaken for somebody else’s. Referring to herself not only as a street artist but a full-fledged street activist, Kashnik paints large-scale murals often featuring a mustached gentleman with two pairs of eyes and often in somewhat kinky situations. However, there’s very little mystique as to why it is so. She is an active combatant for human rights issues with a particular focus on same-sex relationships. With the trademark impressive scope (the astonishing 50 Cakes of Gay is still a far cry from being her biggest) and vivid hues, Kashnik juxtaposes shamans, aliens, and gangsters to create a trippy and memorable street art extravaganza.

Wrapping up with what is possibly the most eclectic entry on the list, we have the Italy-based Ozmo. Although his creative output mainly focuses on exercises in portraiture, Ozmo’s oeuvre really has bits and pieces of everything. Producing sharp and edgy social commentary in the vein of Banksy as well as utilizing sheer scale in the same manner the previous entry does, Ozmo is also known for his monochromatic pieces, a technique that seems to be so popular amongst his Italian peers. Blending together technical prowess with a tongue-in-cheek humor and an in-depth knowledge of the history of art, the artist is no stranger to both streets and galleries. Here, you can see the Holy Mother going through some sort of Fallout head wrap glitch thing.

Explored and compiled by photo printing experts from Canvasdiscount.com, – one of the biggest and best-rated manufacturers and distributors of personalized photo wall decor and lifestyle accessories in the U.S.